Material aligning and weighing machine having a hopper with means for vibrating a side wall thereof



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A Trai/vf Apnl 27, 1954 K. LOBER 2,676,733

MATERIAL ALIGNING AND WEIGHING MACHINE A HAVING A HoPPER WITH MEANS EoR VIERATING A sInE WALL THEREoE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 21, 1948 1 y H E l mw N um@ N W E l: j lml 1 w I. A D a 4.4 |LI l# V.. B KS oo O I A NQ@ IMJ. o SLT @i um lll/.f o l I@ I Patented Apr. 27, 1954 MATERIAL ALIGNING AND WEIGHING MA- CHINE HAVING A HOPPER WITH MEANS FOR VIBRATING A SIDE WALL THEREOF Konrad Lober, Woodhaven, N. Y. Application December 21, 1948, Serial No. 66,557

' 8 Claims. 1

'I'his invention relates to material feeding and weighing, and in particular to a machine for handling stick material of fragile nature, such as spaghetti.

In the packaging of spaghetti for the consumer, it is weighed out in lots and boxed, and it has been necessary heretofore, due to the fragile nature of the commodity, to feed the product by hand to the package during the weighing operation because the sticks are so thin and diflicult of separation that practiced hand feeding and separation has been the accepted method. This is slow and costly, and adds to the market price of the commodity. Whilespaghetti is mentioned, the same objections prevail in the handling of any thin stick or tubular material, and the use of spaghetti is by way of example only.

It is an object of the invention, therefore, to construct a feeding means that will automatically straighten out the stick material without breaking it, will feed it at a suitable speed by a tanning out process so that it can be weighed out in precise quantities and perform these operations by automatic machinery so that the resultant saving in packaging costs can be of benefit to the consumer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a definite hopper structure which will automatically align the sticks of the product so that they can be fed to a weighing machine or packaging device without need of the commodity being manually handled.

With these and other objects in view, the invention comprises certain constructions hereinafter described and then particularly pointed out in the claims, and a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a View in sectional elevation of a machine for aligning and weighing a stick type product;

Figure 2 is an enlargedview in sectional elevation of a hopper forming part of my invention;

-igure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a wiring diagram employed in the machine;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure l, showing a modified form of machine;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing a modified form of hopper;

Figure 7 is a section on the line 'l--l of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragment of one corner of the hopper, showing the vibrating mechanisms employed.

(Cl. Z22- 202) 'Referring to the drawings in detail, Hl indicates a hopper supported by side plates I l mounted on the outwardly channeled sides I2 of a machine frame i3. The hopper il), specifically shown in Fig. 2, consists of vertical end walls i4 and sloping side walls i5 and It, the end walls serving as bearings for a cam shaft il to which is fixed one or more cams i8 for vibratingv the lower flexible end of a jogger plate le adjustably mounted on the wall i5 through the medium of bolt and slot connections 26. The jogger plate I9 is shaped to provide an upper fiat portion 2| abutting the wall i e, and is bent inwardly to provide an arcuately sloping feed section 22 leading, to a more steeply declivitous sub-hopper wall section 23 terminating in a lifting lip portion 24 at the lower free edge thereof. This lip portion lies substantially in the median plane of the hopper and the plate I9 is suiiiciently exibleso that the part thereof that is directed inwardly and away from the hopper wall i6 `may vibrate under the influence of the cam means I8 which engages the underside of the section 23 of the jogger plate. This section is connected by a retractile spring 24A with a side plate i l so that movement of the plate i9 is against the resistance afforded by the spring.

The opposite wall l 5 of the hopper has suitably secured thereto a Xed plate 25, an upper portion 2B of which abuts the wall I5. The mid-area of the plate has an inwardly and downwardly gently sweeping curved section 2l terminating in a bent over ledge 28 disposed substantially in the median plane of the hopper and adapted to coact with the feed section22 of the jogger plate to align the sticks of spaghetti or other like foodstuff that is sold commercially in the well known long, thin, rigid strip form, and is of fragile'nature.` The sections 22 and 2l' further coaot to provide a constricted passage :le between an upper hopper area 3i and a lower hopper area (t2 which passage varies in width as the jogger plate vibrates to straighten the stick material and allow it to feed through the throat Sil, The fixed or guide plate 25 below the ledge 28 is arcuately shaped outwardly from the center of the hopper or toward the side wall le as at 33, and terminates as at 313 in a straight lower end or gate section which cooperates with, and is slightly below the level of the bottom edge of the right lip 2li. The size of the discharge opening afforded bythe spacing of 24 and 3&5 may be varied by adjustment ofthe jogger-plate l obliquely along thev wall the hopper through the connections 2li.`v

` The spaghetti is discharge on Vto aprimary conl veyor belt 3l whose end is adjacent and above a secondary conveyor belt 38. The space between the ends or the belts is spanned by a bridge piece 59 mounted on the frame i3 in which the belt rollers di) are journalled. Two of the rollers carry sprockets for chain drive connection lli with a multi-speed transmission i2 from which is also operated, by a chain drive 13, the cam shaft i1. The conveyor belt 33 has a faster rate oi travel than the belt 3l so that the spaghetti sticks are thinned out in quantity with respect to those on the belt 31 so that the amount that drops oil the belt 36 can be closely controlled in the weighing operation, which is automatic.

The discharge end oi belt 33 overlies the upper end or a magazine lili whose sides may be tapered and whose lower end is periodically closed by a gate l5 secured on a cross shaft tt in the frame. The shaft has fired thereto a solenoid arm 4l and a switch arm siii, the latter of which, in its swinging movement, is adapted to operate a switch lil for controlling a circuit to be described while the solenoid actuated by the solenoid i) in the usual manner.

1n the lower part of the frame it or the machine, a scale 52 is mounted in which is housed a light beam source 5t, a photocell device 54, and a movable strip for cutting oir the light beam. The scale includes a weight pan 'als and a load hopper or receptacle 5l mounted on the usual beam or balance frame 53 from which depends an arm il@ pivoted at its lower end to the light strip 55. The strip cuts ori the light beam when the quantity of spaghetti or other matter in the load receptacle di equals the weight of the adjustable weights supported on the pan 55.

The receptacle tl, mounted on the balance frame 58, through a bracket til, is provided with a sloping bottom iii and a side wall t2 pivoted at t3 to the ends of the receptacle for swinging opening movement against the resistance of a spring Eil. rhe receptacle door t2 carries a bracket borne pin 55 for engagement by a trip lever 6G, mounted on a suitable pivot pin 61, and actuated by a solenoid 6B. When a pound of spaghetti is in the receptacle, the gate fili closes y and the door tti discharges the contents of the receptacle into a chute @d which leads to the packaging machine.

In Figure el, the wiring diagram is shown and includes a power circuit 'Eil which is maintained open by a relay switch H controlled by the photocell circuit. When the light is cut oir by the strip d, a spring 72 closes the switch 'ii and the solenoid 5s is energized and closes the gate 45 and through arm 453 operates 'the switch 49 to complete a circuit d3 through solenoid 68 to open the door G2. When the receptacle contents are discharged and the light beam and photocell again energizes the relay, the switch associated therewith breaks the main circuit with the result that a spring 'M pulls the gate 0,5 open, causing the switch is to break the circuit so that the spring 5d closes the door t2. This operation of the parts is coordinated and instantaneous so that very accurate weight is attained by quickly cutting off feed of the material from the magazine :i4 to the scale receptacle 5l.

Substantially the same circuit is used in the form of the invention shown in Figures 5-8 in which the feed belts are omitted and their function carried out by the structure or the hopper or bin l5 which is identical in some respects with the hopper lll in that it includes the sloping side walls T6, end walls 1?, a iixed plate i8, and an adjustable jogger plate lil. The plates 'i8 and 19 have the same curvature in cross sectional shape as their counterparts 25 and I9, and plate 'i9 is adjustable vertically through the bolt and slot connections 80. A restricted passage 8| is provided that leads from the upper section 32 to the lower section S3, the latter formed by the lower reaches of the plates 18 and 19, which terminate in spaced relation to form an adjustable throat opening 84. The jogger plate l is vibrated by a cam fixed to a shaft 86 carrying a chain sprocket 81 and a gear 88. The latter meshes with a smaller gear 89 xed on a shaft et suitably journalled in the side walls l2 of the machine frame i3. rlhe shaft 90 carries spaced multisided cams 9i for engagement with vibrator arms -Z secured to and projecting from an auxiliary jogging strip 93. The strip is adjacent to and extends beyond the lower end oi the side wall it of the hopper and is sufficiently flexible so that an inwardly directed semiecircularly channelled portion S4 presenting a convex face longitudinally thereof acts as a feed retarder by coacting with the troughed portion @il of an aurilliary xed plate 96 secured to the outer lower portion of the hopper. The lower edge oi the plate 96 underlies the lower edge oi plate lil so that material coming through orice dei at a certain speed of feed will pile up on plate il@ and will pass through the eed opening Si as permitted by the vibratory motion of strip 92. The vibrations o jogging plate 19 are slower than the vibrations of jogging strip 93 so that these members are equivalent in action to the plural belt arrangement of Fig. 1, thus saving space and the adde mechanisms necessary to operate the belts at varying speeds. In this manner, close control or the amount of material fed is possible so that when the predetermined weight oi material is indicated, the iiow of material to the scale can e cut oil without waste, or interruption in the operation of the machine.

As the material drops out oi the hopper through the orice 91, it passes through a magazine Mi which is periodically closed at its bottom by a gate Sti hinged as at Hit to the machine ier swinging movement through operation of a spring held lever iti, a link m2 pivoted to the gate and the core oi? a solenoid its to which the lever lili is pivoted. The scale is the same previously explained and includes the balance frame its, light U35, light beam source and photocell unit its, weight pan l0? and load hopper or receptacle lf2-3. The latter has an operable side wall its constituting a door which is actuated on its pivot H0 by linkage lil operated by a solenoid l I2. As in the wiring diagram Figure fl, closing of the main circuit energiaes the soienoids ID3 and H2 to operate the door i119 through the switch H32 rihe gear Si is operated from a suitable motor or speed regulator unit H4.

My invention is not to be restricted to the precise details or construction shown since various changes and modications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing the advantages to be derived from its use.

What I claim is:

1. .A hopper comprising opposed converging walls, one of said. side walls its lower midection being shaped to provide an inwardly directed shelf portion bent outwardly to provide ledge and a depending semtcircular section terminating in a straight lower obliquely disposed end, and the opposite wall being bent inwardly to provide an arcuately sloping 'feed section and a subjacent more steeply declivitous section terminating in a lifting lip at the lower edge thereof spaced from the lower edge of said gate end, said walls defining upper and lower hopper sections and providing between shelf portion and declivitous section a restricted upper throat between said sections, the lower ends of said walls defining a iower discharge orifice and means for fiexing one of the side walls laterally to align stick form material passing through the throat to control the rate of discharge thereof from said orifice.

2. A hopper comprising outer opposed converging walls, inner opposite side walls mounted on said outer walls and shaped to present intermediate the upper and lower edges thereof inwardly directed curved portions defining upper and lower hopper sections and providing between said curved portions a restricted upper throat connecting said sections. the lower ends of said walls defining a lower discharge orifice and means for agitating one of the side walls to align stick form material passing through the throat, a plate fixed to one wall and extending therebelow, a jogging strip on the opposite wall coacting with said plate, the lower edges of the plate and the strip being disposed below said discharge orifice and constituting a lower chamber to which the material is fed, and means for vibrating said jogging strip at a faster rate than said one wall of the hopper is vibrated,

3. A hopper of the character set forth in claim l including opposed outer downwardly converging walls upon which said side walls are mounted, means for adjustably mounting one of said side walls on one of said outer walls whereby a raising or lowering movement of said adjustable side wall will adjust the size of the opening in the discharge orifice.

4 A hopper of the character set forth in claim 2 including means for adjustably mounting one of said inner walls on an outer wall whereby a raising or lowering movement thereof will adjust the size ofthe opening in the discharge orifice.

5. A hopper for feeding fragile stick material comprising opposing converging outer walls, an inner wall mounted on each outer wall one of the inner walls being shaped to provide an inwardly and downwardly directed arcuately sloping jogger feed section and a subjacent more steeply declivitous section terminating in a lifting lip at the lower edge thereof the other inner guide wall being shaped to provide an inwardly and downwardly gently sweeping curved section terminating in a bent over ledge and a depend ing semi-circular section terminating in a straight lower obliquely disposed gate end adapted to coact with said jogger feed section to provide a constricted passage defining upper and lower hopper areas, the lower edge of said guide wall extending to a point adjacent and below the lower edge of said feed section to provide a discharge opening of lesser width than said constricted passage and means for jogging said feed section laterally to vary the width of the said constricted passage and align stick form material passing therethrough and for varying the feed of material through the space between said lifting lip and the edge of said gate end.

6. A hopper of the ch acter set forth in claim 5 including means for adjusting said jogger feed section vertically along the inner wall of the hopper to vary the size of said discharge opening.

7. A hopper of the character set forth in claim 5 including an auxiliary plate adjacent to said guide wall and presenting a troughed portion eX- tending therebeyond, an auxiliary jogging strip opposite said plate shaped to present an inwardly directed semicircular channeled portion presenting a longitudinal convex face coacting with said troughed portion to act as a feed retarder, and means for jogging said auxiliary jogging plate.

8. A hopper of the character set forth in claim '7 including a common driving means for operating said jogger feed section and said auxiliary jogging plate in unison.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 602,754 Himes Apr, 19, 1898 1,300,441 Marsa Apr. 15, 1919 1,485,099 Wahl Feb. 26, 1924 2,071,443 Weckerly Feb. 23, 1937 2,261,654 Livengood Nov. 4, 1941 2,466,386 Curioni Apr. 5, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 489,264 Germany Dec. 10, 1927 

